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2020 Map of Motoqua

Name: 2020 Topographic Map of Motoqua
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2020
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2020

About this map

Motoqua lies at the intersection of water and desert in this southwestern corner of Washington County. The settlement is centered near the junction of Beaver Dam Wash and the East Fork Beaver Dam Wash, a critical drainage system in this arid landscape where the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert meets the high ground of the Mormon Range. The topography is defined by dramatic elevation changes, rising from the wash floors toward Potters Peak and Square Top Mtn.

Water management is the primary marker of human presence here, evidenced by a series of isolated sources and storage features. From Cane Spring in the north to Red Hollow Reservoir and Jackson Reservoir in the south, these sites indicate the vital infrastructure needed to sustain life and ranching. The landscape is deeply carved by drainage paths like Butcher Knife Canyon and Bentley Wash, which reveal the erosive forces shaping this high-desert environment.